Wow, can’t believe I haven’t posted more actual mtb skills camp videos to help you understand how we get riders just like you riding better than they ever thought possible (cleanly riding sections of trail you never thought you would and/or winning World, Pan American and National Downhill, Cross Country, Dual Slalom and Four X Championships). If you have been reading our blog you know that learning skills is not as simple as acquiring knowledge, you must train your “procedural memory” as knowledge is NOT stored in the same part of your brain that helps you do physical skills (if you missed our most recent article on the subject read it here: http://betterride.net/blog/2015/mtb-skills-actually-learn-experts-often-make-poor-coaches/ ). With that in mind we educate you on how to do the skill, why this skill works (the physics behind the skill) and drills so the skill can become the DOMINANT skill in your procedural memory (under pressure (any time you on trail) you will revert to your dominant habit, often an old, incorrect habit).

First, your coach will explain how to do a skill. Why the skill is important, how to do the skill correctly and physics behind why doing this way works 100% of the time. Here is Gene in the middle of explaining weight placement when cornering:

We practice in a safe learning environment (off trail) where you can confidently focus 100% on the skill being taught (not take up brain bandwidth with fear/keeping yourself safe). The only way to train your “procedural memory” is with action, specifically structured drills so you can focus on the movements required to perform the skill. This called “Deliberate Practice”. Some photos of students practicing what they have been taught in a safe learning environment.

BetterRide camper Rick practicing his cornering skills!

Once you have executed the new skill quite a few times we then apply the skill on trail. This doesn’t always lead to success at first as the new habit is not your dominate habit (it may take weeks of doing the new habit perfectly while not reinforcing the old habit for the new, correct, in balance, in control technique to take over as your dominate habit, all depending how ingrained the old habit is and how much quality practice you put into doing the drill/s designed to in grain the correct skill)

Here is Rick on trail after learning and doing drills on pavement. Almost there just needs to lead with that outside elbow like he did on the pavement.

Video example two, Gene explaining how to do a wheelie in balance, in control, economically and using zero upper body strength.

Students practicing wheelies in a safe environment.

Susan practicing efficient/in control wheelies using no upper body strength!

Wow, I didn’t even know about this until it came up in my news feed! BetterRide Mountain Bike School On TV, Again! Not as in depth or as far reaching as our Discovery Channel special in 2004 but cool never the less!

Wow! I love this video, if it doesn’t make you smile and want to go ride your bike you are already dead! Two four year old twins having a blast on their little bikes! Hitting the bike park and jumping, crashing, making it the second try, smiling, laughing, so fun to watch!

The happiest kids are the ones who play and push themselves! This the best Bike Video Ever! We love seeing kids on bikes! Get them out having fun, learning how to fail but then coming back and rising to the challenge! What a great metaphor for life riding bikes is.

Great video from BetterRide coach Andy Winohradsky on the Mountain Bike Switchback Tripod Technique! As Andy states we teach the “proper” in balance and in control switchback skills (line choice, body position, vision, balance, etc.) in our camps but this is a great way to get around super scary switchbacks and for beginner riders to use on switchbacks that they aren’t comfortable with.

If you missed Andy’s mountain bike switchback line choice article and video check it out here: http://wp.me/p49ApH-13i

Student Jen Hanks working on tight switchbacks

Remember, there are no style police in mountain biking! We would much rather have you “dab” (put your foot down) than get hurt. Our goal is to help you ride with more confidence so we really stress baby steps when learning anything. Think how many injuries could be prevented if mountain bikers learned skills first and then worked their way up using baby steps instead of letting their friends goad them into trying something they didn’t feel ready for.